With a final couple taps of his crowbar, Keebler shrugs off his pack. "Alright, but be ready to pull me out if I start screaming." Drawing his longsword, the gnome begins to worm his way into the crevice.

Escape artist:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

Unable to get himself to fit, he looks at his fellow Pathfinders, "I don't suppose anyone has some lube? Or a spell that would make me smaller than I already am?"

"Why grease the pig, if all you want is the tail?", Gristav quotes. "I mean, if your head will fit, the rest of you will, too. But your eyes are all you need, to see what's in there. So use a mirror. The coin did not fall far, there isn't much to see..."

Keebler, no reason you can't take 20, which would let you make it inside. Hoping I don't step on anyone's toes on this.

Keelber twists and turns and manages to get far enough to see inside.

Keebler:

Inside you see a set of battered brass scales. You could easily reach out your hand and grab them.

Degwyn:

I've only had limited experiences myself, but from those same faction knew they were same faction. Of course that's really up to the PCs. I'd recommend PM'ing Gristav and asking him if he's fine with it.

"What an odd place for those," Keebler says from inside the confined space. With one arm, he reaches out and takes the item. With it securely in his grip, he begins to wiggle back out, extended his free hand toward his egress. "Filios, lend me a hand would you?""

Having extracted himself from the base of the sarcophagus, he proudly holds out the set of brass scales he found. "A small stature has its advantages in archaeology. Now then, what exactly do we have here?" The gnome begins turning the scales over in his hands as he studies them.

"Omen.", Gristav says. "Justice has been put into our hands. Perhaps, your hands. You may not know, but Andoran said there may be such a symbol here. They sent me word to watch for it. I had forgotten, but... There it is. Justice hidden, justice found."

Fendahl and lion are starting to look around, either bored or hungry, or both...

"Hrrrmm, yes...the scales indeed represent the justice that seems to be absent in this place. Is it ours to enact that justice or are we here to observe and depart with our notes? Either way we have unfinished business in other parts of the temple..."

The scales worth seems to be less economical and more sentimental. Thus worthless for selling.

Your final task here completed, a set of scales recovered, you discuss how next to proceed when a low growl erupts from Fendahl's lion's throat. Turning down the corridor, Fendahl sees a strange creature come shambling into view from the southern doorway. This creature's bloated frame shudders with each heaving step, yet despite its shape, the thing moves with surprising quickness. The hostility form this unnatural form is obvious, as it's intent upon all of you.

Round 1
Fendahl
Filios
Keelber
Degwyn
Gristav
???

If anyone would like to make a knowledge check, roll me a d20 and list your applicable knowledge skill modifiers.

Degwyn and Filios move to flank the doorway, waiting for the creature to come forward, while Fendahl sends his lion to assist and attempts to batter down the boarded doorway. The creature's approach gives the half-elf the surge of strength he needs, and the doorway bursts open into the garden.

Gris takes a step back from the forming battle line, (onto the sarcophagus("Terribly sorry, no disrespect...", if needed for a clear shot), and again fires his longbow. If the skill was a gift from Erastil, perhaps that Power might bestow some, luck, now...

It would still work...I may just have to wait longer to get the flank that I am requiring on my attack. Knowing that I am a rogue and desiring flank to be most effective, may change your tactics to not use the reach capabilities of your weapon just yet? :-)

Is it not true that the reach attack's timing is unimportant to the Flanking status, which only asks about counter placement? Is it not also true that if the creature moves within Degwyn's reach(and that move is not a 5' step), that Degwyn gets an AoO? So by saving his attack for maximum range, Degwyn might get a 2nd attack? Particularly if he's just missed, an overconfident beasty might elect not to worry about the AoO.

Anyone know what that thing is? I appear to have packed the wrong skills. :)

I am sorry, but I cannot see the map at work. If the creature moved into the room and Degwyn and I are at both sides of the door, how do I not have flank?

The room slants at the door. Degwyn is one space more west(map 'up') than where you'd need him to be for a flank. Conversely, the wall prevents you from stepping to where you'd need to be for a flank. It's almost as if some great nefarious power suspected an attack from the hall might be defended from within the room, by flankers. :)

Gristav again plies his longbow, magicked limbs charging the broad biting blade with arcane energies as it is drawn near the bowstave, twisting tendrils of unseen unction wrapping round the deadly dart, suddenly released...

As the creature continues to move in, Filios, Fendahl's lion (do you have a name for her out of curiousity?), and Degwyn continue the assault, battering the creature repeatedly. Though the attacks are resisted by the creature's hide, eventually even it gives way. The creature falls and proceeds to disappear.

Keebler frowns as the demon fades from view and he holsters his crossbow across his back. "That wasn't a balor - it was a dretch. Much less potent than a balor, but troublesome none the less. The fact that any Abyssal creatures are running about this monastery only reinforces the fact that Dakang is not who he says he is." The gnomes expression darkens. "Of course, without a corpse for evidence, we have no further proof of his treachery with which to sway the acolytes."

"We've these other bones, though that could be turned against us. I know I could turn it against us. I was taught as a child, facts are clay; history is art. We might yet show someone here the brush strokes. Zhuang and the angels, are where I'd start. And Dakang is where it will end, I'll wager. Gastidem did not command such a... dretch, you said?"

Indeed, Zhuang and the angels are probably our best start. We should avoid contact with Dakang until we have presented all of our truth to the worshipers. Hopefully we can convince them of his deceit before we confront Dakang.

Looking where the dretch fell and disappeared, shaking his head Such cowardice. We certainly need to be on our toes, Dakang knows we're on to him and it looks like things are going to escalate quickly. Good thing Kirrah was watching the door so we weren't taken completely off-guard.

"I was about to storm down that hallway...", Gristav reflects. "I would have come running back, I'm sure..." he says, smiling. Then he grins. "Say... what if I had? What if it did chase me back among them? I could produce such an image. But it wouldn't prove anything, it would just suggest the first was a trick, too."